wap over gprs content congress, london, 4-5 july 2001 wap gaming over gprs stefan pettersson...

WAP over GPRS Content Congress, London, 4-5 July 2001

WAP Gaming over GPRS

Stefan Pettersson

Director Development

Picofun

Agenda

• About Picofun• WAP & Mobile Gaming in General• GPRS Impact on WAP Games• Java (execution on terminal/local storage)• WAP Games That Work – Case Studies

About Picofun

• Creates, publishes and distributes leading edge mobile games through network operators

• Strong focus on community games, and work with all technologies to maximize the value to the operator

• Increase the average mobile internet session – this is real $ value to the operator

• Provides turn-key solution to the operator, including hosting, statistics, top quality, marketing tools, 24h support, etc.

• Working with Ericsson, Motorola, France Telecom, Telefonica, Omnitel, KPN, Deutsche Telekom, One2One and more...

WAP & Mobile Gaming in General

• SMS• Preinstalled games (i.e Snake, etc)• WAP• Java (terminal executed)

• PDA• Handheld Console

• What does the hardcore gamer prefer?

Mobile Internet Game Development

• Use the strengths of the mobile» Mobility - Play everywhere» Access - Play anytime» Users - Play against anybody

• Design with the environment in mind» Different target audience» Consumer expectations» Design for the payment model

• It’s gameplay that counts!

GPRS Impact On WAP Games

• Always Online

• Increased Bandwidth• Different Payment Model• Push

User behaviour changes!

Always Online

• Connecting no longer takes forever• Connecting is more reliable

• Users play more often• Users play in short bursts

• Game must deliver instant feedback• Game should stimulate frequent login

Increased Bandwith

• Decreased response time• Shorter load time

• Page transitions not as tedious• User don’t find graphics as slow

• Use graphics to enhance gameplay• Utilize bandwidth where appropriate

Different Payment Model

• Cost based on volume, not time• No initial startup fee per call

• User not stressed by cents ticking per minute• Cost no longer an obstacle to connect

• Design with payment model in mind• Encourage and support spontaneous use

Push

• If appropriate designed, may replace SMS• Interact with ”not logged in” users

• Allow ”offline” interaction in game• Use to trigger game play

GPRS Impact On WAP - Conclusion

• Design, encourage and support a use of the game/application that fits the user behaviour.

• User perception is key – if a user feels something is bad – then it is!

Java

• Execution on terminal• Local storage

• Terminal software (i.e wap-browser) no longer an explicit limitation

• Exceptionally useful in combination with packet based communication (i.e GPRS, 3G)

• The big thing of mobile gaming!

Online Gaming

• Multiplayer games that need some kind of connection to a server to be played• The game is downloaded to the client and the user can download updates to the game• The game can be played against one or more users. Either in real time or turn based

CONNECTION

Operator

CONNECTION

Clients

Offline Gaming

• Single player games that you play without any connection to a server• The user can download the game to his client or it can be preinstalled on the device• Any opponent in the game must be implemented in the game as an AI character

Operator

APPLICATIONDOWNLOAD

1

2

Playing the gameon an offline client

Combination Gaming

• Single and/or multiplayer games that don’t depend on a server connection but can add extra functionality to the game with it• Extra functionality can be new levels to download, the ability to share user created data with other users or upload user highscores to the server

Client

HIGH SCORE

NEW LEVEL CUSTOM LEVEL

CUSTOM LEVEL

Clients

Operator

Online Billing

CHOOSE GAME

DOWNLOAD

SEND TO A FRIEND

PLAY AND PAY

UserOperator

Offline Billing

Happy user playing offline

User

CHOOSE GAME

DOWNLOAD

PAY

Operator

Combination Billing

CHOOSE GAME

DOWNLOAD

PAY

UPLOAD HIGHSCORES ORFRIEND INVITATION

DOWNLOAD LEVELS

PAY

User

Operator

User

PAY AND PLAY

Happy user playing offline

WAP Games That Work – Case Studies

• Big Brother – Lifestylers» Community game based on well known brand

• On the Green» WAP game making use of GPRS through

sophisticated 3D-technology

Big Brother - Lifestylers

Big Brother - Lifestylers

• Use of well known brand• User interaction more important than goal

• Symbiosis between media (TV) & brand (Big Brother/Channel 4), operator (BT Cellnet, Genie) and content (the game by Picofun)

• In 1 month...» 50 000 unique new users» 250 000 game sessions» 5 000 000 page impressions» 2 500 000 minutes in BT Cellnet’s network

On the Green

On the Green

• Instant gameplay» Encourages spontaneus play

• Instant feedback» The user get what he/she wants

• User decide session length» The user decides how much money to spend

• Multiplayer challenge possible, but not forced• Cutting edge WAP game (design & technology)

• Support for event-marketing

Questions?

Thank you!

Stefan Pettersson

stefan.pettersson@picofun.com

www.picofun.com - wap.picofun.com

...and remember: user perception is everything!